Starlight

07

"When...when I got here, I was so confused...I almost died! No, really...a mermaid caught me, 'cause I landed in their lagoon, and she near on cut my heart out...it was really very horrible, I still have the scar...want to see?"

It was official, drunken chatter with Aoife was rather hilarious. Yet the only semi-reasonable reply Hook could come up with was: "Your poor heart." Shaking his head slowly he attempted to sit up. He was leaning back against a boulder, his attempt failed so he just sat back down. Beside him Aoife was laying on her side with her eyes shut. She wasn't asleep, but he could figure she was suffering because she'd just suddenly gone silent. Putting a hand on her head, he slowly curled a ribboned braid in his fingers. "How long have you been here?" His tone was low, thoughtful though as he stared upwards at the sky above them. Truly, he could see why she was taken so much with it; it was beautiful.

"Not sure...a long time...does fog still swamp the city?" Aoife looked up at him, she wasn't aware that her question was enigmatic until she saw his expression.

"I don't know what city you're on about, love." Hook admitted, still a little confused looking as she sighed and looked down at the ground sadly.

Aoife sat up with a small groan. Holding her head in her hands she looked to him. "You know Neverland is based on belief, right? What did you honestly believe in when you had it in mind to travel here?" She asked instead, her tone sounding quite clear despite of the sudden side-effects alcohol bought with it.

Hook looked to the sky, it was fully dark now. Looking down he watched as most of his crew had settled down to sleep. Alcohol induced sleep, they were going to be out for the count for a while. "I believed in a new beginning, I guess." He looked at her, Aoife sat kneeling and nodding slowly at his answer. She giggled suddenly which caused him to eye her slightly confused. He was being honest, for the first time in a long time he was being honest, and it was someone he barely knew, not one of his crew; someone who bought fruit, who scared Smee, who danced on the deck of his ship admiring the stars above.

Waving a hand at him she smiled. "I believe you." She giggled at the irony of believing in someone's belief. This just caused him to roll his eyes as she got caught up in a giggling fit. Against better judgement he did laugh too. Just because she ended up collapsing backwards, holding her ribs and commenting between laughter: "I can't breathe! I...can't..." her turmoil at this moment was a little funny. He didn't know why she was laughing, but he laughed at her for it. "Fine, I'm fine...I'm good," Aoife sat back up, she did let out a quiet giggle now and again.

"I'm never giving you rum again." Hook stated while settling down against his boulder. It was still hugely uncomfortable, nothing had changed there.

"How's the new beginning going so far?" Aoife settled down beside him, this boulder was big enough for the two of them to sit side by side.

Hook looked down at her. "Oh, you know, fine all well and good considering." He rolled his hook in thought.

Aoife frowned and tapped her finger against the metal. "What happened?" She asked, so far she had been polite and considerate, not everyone wanted or wished to talk about old battle wounds. Most of the time the scars and memories attached to what remained, was painful to think over. The pain didn't ever really go forever.

"A crocodile."

"We seem to get plagued by random things. Crocodiles and mermaids. Heart and hand."

"But you still have your heart." Hook commented, his tone a little blunt, but also there was a lingering sadness as he cast a quick glance her way.

Aoife frowned and looked down at herself. Lowering her dresses neckline a little, she frowned again. "Look," tapping a finger to the base of her neck between her collarbone, Hook looked at the deep set scar. "It stops about...here." She tapped the area which stopped just below her ribcage. "Very nearly, I was heartless. I don't think that'd end well." Even she glanced down at the scar which marred her pale skin so much. It was sore looking still, even after the years, pink meshed with pale healthy skin, jagged around the edges and raised a little. The scar still gave phantom pains. Pain didn't go forever, after all.